That Happiness does not consist in the Knowledge of God which is
to be had by Demonstration

AGAIN there is another knowledge of God, higher than the last
mentioned: this knowledge is acquired by demonstration, by means of
which we come nearer to a proper knowledge of Him, since demonstration
removes from Him many attributes, by removal of which the mind discerns
God standing apart from other beings. Thus demonstration shows God to
be unchangeable, eternal, incorporeal, absolutely simple, one. A proper
knowledge of an object is arrived at, not only by affirmations, but
also by negations. Thus as it is proper to man to be a rational animal,
so it is proper to him also not to be inanimate or irrational. But
between these two modes of proper knowledge there is this difference,
that when a proper knowledge of a thing is got by affirmations, we know
both what the thing is and how it is distinct from others: but when a
proper knowledge of a thing is got by negations, we know that the thing
is distinct from other things, but what it is remains unknown. Such is
the proper knowledge of God that we have by demonstrations.* But that is not sufficient for the final
happiness of man.

1. The individuals of a species arrive at the end and perfection of
that species for the most part; and natural developments have place
always or for the most part, though they fail in a minority of
instances through something coming in to mar them. But happiness is the
end and perfection of the human species, since all men naturally desire
it. Happiness then is a common good, possible to accrue to all men,
except in cases where an obstacle arises to deprive some of it. But few
they are who arrive at this knowledge of God by way of demonstration,
on account of the difficulties mentioned above (B. I, Chap. IV). Such scientific knowledge then is not the
essence of human happiness.

3. Happiness excludes all misery. But deception and error is a great
part of misery. Now in the knowledge of God by demonstration manifold
error may be mingled, as is clear in the case of many who have found
out some truths about God in that way, and further following their own
ideas, in the failure of demonstration, have fallen into many sorts of
error. And if any have found truth in the things of God so perfectly by
the way of demonstration as that no error has entered their minds, such
men certainly have been very few: a rarity of attainment which does not
befit happiness, happiness being the common end of all.*

4. Happiness consists in perfect activity. Now for the perfection of
the activity of knowledge certainty is required: but the aforesaid
knowledge has much of uncertainty.